Apparatus for debarking timber



y '1946. G. s. WITHAM 2,400,725

APPARATUS FOR DEBARKING TIMBER Filed July 21, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 S J mg g Q n INVENTOR.

I May 21, 1946. I G. s. WITHAM 2,400,725

- APPARATUS FOR DEBARKING TIMBER Filed July 21, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 21, 1946 APPARATUS F OR DEBARKING George S. Witham, Hudson Falls, N. Y. Application July 21, 1944, Serial No. 546,044

This invention relates to apparatus for debarking timber.

The principal objects Of this invention are directed to improvements in methods of and apparatus for debarking timber and the apparatus is characterized by its simplicity of construction and speed and economy in operation.

According to certain novel features of the invention, timber is debarked automatically without the usual necessity of manual manipulation, thereby to attain speed in the debarking operation and to bring about low-cost production timber of various kinds may be operated on for 1 the debarking thereof. A still further feature of the invention is that the apparatus is of such a nature as to be and efliciency Various novel objects and advantages will be observed from the following description of the invention in the form at present preferred, it being understood that various changes andmodifications may be made, all within the spirit and scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan and sectional plan view of an apparatus embodying thefeatures of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional eievational view on the line.

2-2 of Fig. 1;,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the appa- I ing of logs herein.

and on the shafts so shafts 50 are rotated 8 Claims. (01. 51- 14)- In general, the apparatus includes a'feed deck 2 onto which logs are placed and from which they are delivered to'feeding means 4. The said feeding means passes the logs into a compartment 6 wherein means for manipulating the logs moves them relative to 'a blast nozzle or nozzles for the debarking operation. Said feeding means trans: ports the logs subsequent to the debarking operation to a chute B from which they pass to a chute I 0 which may or may not be provided with means for moving the logs therealong.

The feed deck 2 includes uprights i6 secured to side members |8,in such a v Shafts 20 and 22 rotatable in bearings 24 secured to the platform endless chains 28 that are provided with pushers 30.

one of the shafts such as 22 extends for rotation through a bearing 32 and is coupled by 34 to a shaft 36 0f a rotated, the chains are operated'so that thepushers act on and propel logs from the deck 2 into the feeding means 4.

An end member 40 is connected by longitudinal members 42 to a wall44 of the compartment 6.

A lower member 46 extends between the member 40 and said wall 4d.

Bearings 48 are fixed on member 46 and have rotatable therein shafts 50. Lower bearings 54 are fixed to member 46 and upper bearings 56 42 and have rotatable of rolls 60. Intermeshing ends of the roll shafts 58 are provided so that as said the rolls to are driven. One of the shafts is connected for rotation to a motor 52 which motor may be of the variable speed reversible type. As the logs are pushed from ofi the feed deck 2, they are received on Said shaft st extends through wall ts and-has a gear 88 fixed thereto which is in mesh with 'a gear 96 fixed on a shaft .92. The shaft 92 is roway as to provide a motor 38. As the shaft 22 is of the compartment 6 and the tatable in bearings 94 and is operatively connected to a motor 96, which motor 96 is preferably ,of the reversible, variable speed type and when in rotation serves torotate shaft 84 and, thereby, rolls 60 in the desired direction and at the desired speed.

Bearings I are carried by members 12' and have shafts I02 rotatable therein. Pairs of spaced sprockets I04 are fixed to the shafts I02 between adjacent rolls 82 and endless chains I06 are in pivoted thereto that is eccentrically pivoted to a disc I12 fixed to-the shaft of a motor I14 Sumps I16 and I18 are provided for the hoppers I60 and I62 and screw conveyors I80 and I82 in the sumps may be provided for moving the brasive material and bark to a location for handling and returning the abrasive material to the blasting apparatus. The wall 68 is provided engagement therewith. The chains of each pair [to brackets I24 carried by wall 44 and a door 126 is hinged to member I22. Said door is arranged to be opened by logs fed forwardly by the rolls 60.

Normally said door I26 closes the opening I20. Logs fed to the compartment 6 are received on the rolls 82 and. chains I06 by which they are moved relative to a nozzle or nozzles, such as I28.

The rolls 82 may be rotated-at any desired speed as may the chains, and said rolls and chains may be operated in opposite directions. In this way the log 'or logs may be moved relative to the nozzle or nozzles both transversely and rotatively and at any desired and necessary speeds. There may be a combined longitudinal and rotative movement of the log in either direction so as to present the periphery of the log to the nozzle for the most effective action thereof.

The nozzle I28 preferably extends through a carrier I30 that is slidable up and down between guides I32. The gui es I32 carry brackets I34 having rolls I36 rotatable thereon that roll on a track I38. A manually engageable member I40 may be provided for manipulation of the carrier I30 back and forth and up and down.

Since the nozzle is movable and since the log is moved byv the rolls and chains, it is possible to readily and quickly remove the bark on a log by the abrasive material delivered by the nozzle.

Extensions I42 of walls 44 and 68 are connected by flexible material I44 to the guides I32, thereby to close the front side of the compartment. The nozzle is connected to a suitable apparatus for delivering the desired kind and amount of abrasive material at the desired pressure which will depend on the particular timber being operated upon and its condition. A window I42 is provided and this may be protected by a screen if desired (see Fig.4)

A platform, indicated by I44, is provided for the operator and the walls forming the compartment may, as in Fig; 4, extend between foun dation walls I46 toa lower floor I48. A ground line is indicated by dot-dash lines I50.

Baiiles I52'and I54 converge from the walls of the compartment for directing abrasive material and bark to a movable screen I56. Said screen I58 has a perforated bottom wall I58 adapted to pas abrasive material into a hopper I60 while bark is delivered into a hopper I62.

Longitudinal members I64 carry brackets I66 to which are pivoted links I68 having their lower ends pivoted to the screen I56. The screen I56 is moved back and forth by a link member I the chute I0.

In operation logs are successively transferred from the feed deck 2 by the chains 28 to the an gularly disposed rol1s60. Said rolls are rotated to move the logs towards and into the compartment 6 where they are received by the rolls82 and chains I06. The logs are fed through. the compartment while at the same time being rotated and relative to the nozzle or nozzles for the blasting operation.

In some cases the rolls 82 are rotated alternately in opposite directions to move the log back and forth when necessary and desirable.

In any event, the loss may be moved in various ways for the action of the nozzle which also may be moved by the operatorall to obtain the most effective blasting effect in the shortest practi cable time without waste of the wood.

The rolls 60 and the rolls 82 may if desired be provided with roughened surfaces forthe more efficient manipulation of the logs and this may be accomplished by 'projection's or prongs. grooves or whatever may be desired. The various motors are preferably of the reversible and variable speed type and may be controlled from a central point accessible to the operator who may observe the operation and manipulate or operate the various components in a manner to obtain the best results.

The invention may be embodied in other speciflc forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What itis desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. Apparatus for debarking logs comprising in combination, walls forming a closed compartment, feeding means for feeding logs to said compartment, nozzle meansassociated with one wall of said compartment for discharging abrasive debarking material,

and manipulating means in said compartment for moving logs longitudinally and rotatively relative to said nozzle means whereby the surface of a log is presented progressively to said nozzle means, said feeding means including a plurality of rolls arranged in spaced relation in rows adapted to rotatably support logs and means for driving th same and a wall of said compartment provided with an opening through which log may pass having a door movable relative thereto operable by alog, and the axes of the rolls of one'row disposed angularly relatively to the axes of the rolls of the other row.

2. Apparatus for debarking logs comprising in to said one wall and a ticall in said guideways.

4. Apparatus for debarking logs comprising in combination,

means including a row having upper log engaging run therebetween,

and independent means to operate said rolls and chains in opposite directions and at variable speeds. i i

6. Apparatus for debarking logs comprising in combination, walls forming a. closed compart- 'ment, feeding means for feeding logs to said comwith spaced bars for engaging logs connecting the chains of the pairs,

and means for operating said rohs and chains.

'7. Apparatus for debarking logs comprising in partment, of said compartment for discharging abrasive debarking material, and manipulating means in said compartment for moving logs longitudinally and rotatively relative to said nozzle means GEORGE s. WITHAM.

associated with one wall 

